Lady&#39;s knit undergarment.



(No Model.)

Patented Apr. la, |901. n. M. APPLETUN.

LADY'S KNIT UNDERGARMENT.

(Application led Aug. 2, 1898.\

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

No. 672,028. Patented Apr. is, |9ol. R. M. APPLEToN.

LADYS KNIT UNDEBGARMENT.

(Application led Aug. 2, 189B.)

UNITED STATES ROBERT M. APPLETON, OF

PATENTA OFFICE.

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

LADYS KNIT UN DERGARIVI ENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 672,028, dated April 16, 1901.

Application filed August 2, 1898. Serial No. 687,510. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom, it may concern.'

Be it known that I, ROBERT M. APPLETON, of Boston, in the county of Suolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Ladies Knit Undergarments, of which the following is a description sufficiently full, clear, and exact to enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains or with which it is most nearly connected to make and use the same.

This invention has-relation to knitted articles of apparel such as corset-covers and womens undervests, and specifically such knitted articles as are made with a combination of loose-stitch knitting with relatively close or tight stitch knitting. An example of a knit nndergarment of this character is found in my Patent No. 240,569, dated April 26, 1881.

The object of my invention is to produce as economically aspossible an improved corset-cover or similar article in which the two kinds of knitting are combined for the purpose of securing a good ytit.

Of the drawings, Figure lis a diagram of a web of knit goods which may be employed byv me in making my improved garment. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing how I may use the web shown in Fig. 1 in the production of my improved garment. Fig. 3 isa front view of an undervest made in accordance with my invention. Fig. 4 is a back view of the same. Fig. 5 is a front view of a corset-cover embodying my invention, `the back of the same being substantially thesame as that shown in Fig. 4, excepting that the skirt is shorter.

In carrying out my invention I may produce a web-say upon a circular knitting machine-which web when slitted open longitudinally and developed may appear like that shown in Fig. 1. In the production of this web, supposing that we begin at the top along the line a, it may, in order to make the web relatively wide, be knitted in loose or open stitch to the line b. From thence tothe line c it may be knitted in close or finer stitch, and thence from the line c to the line dit may be knitted again in loose or open stitch, and from the line d to the line e again in close or ne stitch, and finally from the line e to the end f in open or loose stitch. This fabric when properly shaped along the edges by cutting or otherwise may be folded a little above the line c-that is, on aline corresponding with the line of fold in Fig. 2-and the edges sewed together and the fabric otherwise finished to form a complete garment.

By the diagram shown in Fig. 2 I have indicated by words upon said diagram the parts that will fall into particular portions of the garment-for instance, the'end portions knitted in open stitch, as from a to b and e to f, will form the skirt, and the close-knitted portions between the lines cl and e anducorrespending lines below the line b will form the waist. This will leave the bust between the lines c and d quite full, while the shoulder portion and the back will be narrowed, as it were, or without the fullnessthat will exist between the lines c and d.

Instead of knitting the web shown in Fig. 1 upon a circular-knitting machine, slitting it open longitudinally, developing it, and subsequently shaping it by cutting and seaming I may knit the same web upon aat or straight knitting machine, fashioning or shaping it as the knitting proceeds, so that all that will be necessary to finish the garment will be to fold it on the line of fold indicated in Fig. 2, looping it or seaming it along the sides, as at s, finishing the neck and sleevesor arm-sizes and the opening in front as may be desired. l only mention knitting the web upon a circular machine for the reason that it can be produced upon such machine perhaps more rapidly and economically than upon a flat or straight machine; but when knit upon a flat or straight machine I prefer to fashion the fabric, as I have before stated, as the knitting proceeds, forming selvaged edges which may be subsequently looped or seamed together without forming so coarse a seam as it is necessary to make in the manufacture of what is commonly known as cutgoodsthat is, where the fabric is cut and shaped after having been knitted.

In all cases, whether it be an undervest, a corset-cover, the vest portion of a union garment, or other article of apparel, I form the fabric that is to compose the shoulder portion g, the back h, and waist 'i so that it shall be narrowed or without fullness, while the skirt j and the bust part lo are knitted so that they, and particularly the bust part, shall IOO have greater fullness than the other parts in order that no surplus fabric may be contained in the shoulders and back portion of the garment, which is the part that has heretofore been seriously faulty and has interfered with the fit of the gown.

As before stated, whether the fabric is knitted upon a circular machine or upon a straight machine or whether it is cut and seained together at the edges or knit with selY vaged edges, so that the said edges may be looped together, the edges are looped or seamed along the sides s, as is perhaps most clearly shown in Fig. 3, where one corner of the skirt of the undervest is shown as slightly folded over.

I can cut and trim corset-covers or undervests made in accordance with this invention so that they may have low necks or half-low necks as well as high necks and may provide them with sleeves or merely with trimming at the armholes, as required.

It has been heretofore proposed lto knit ladies undervests and like garments with a close stitch at the waist and front and back and either to cut the body ofthe garment at the busts and sew pockets into the openings thus formed for -the busts, or similar bust-pockets have been produced in a seamless undervest by special change in the knitting in the machine. Both these modes of manufacture are too slow and expensive to be practical. My

improved garment is much more economical to manufacture and yet is equally as eihcacious in securing a close and comfortable it as the more expensive garments referred to. The close knittingr at the shoulders and back prevents the formation of rueks and folds and insures a smooth fit at those points, while at the same time allowing a neat fit across the bust, Where the band of loose knitting extending uninterruptedly across from side to side of the garment adapts a given garment to the use of different Wearers having considerable Variation of bust measure.

I claim as my invention- The herein-described out knit Waist-gar- -ment, consisting of two parts, a front and a rear portion, the front portion of said garment, comprising a transverse section of tubular fabric knitted in two stitches, a loose or open stitch and a plain stitch, said section being slit open longitudinally to form the front portion of the garnient, the rear portion being formed from a transverse section of tubular fabric knitted in plain stitch and slit open longitudinally, whereby the entire garment is elastic, but the breast portion of the front is more elastic being formed by the band of loose or open stitches as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses, this 21st day of July, A. D. 189s.

ROBERT M. APPLE'FON.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR W. CRossLEY, ANNIE J. DAILEY. 

